Ladies&#39; slipper having a plastic bead construction



Oct. 6, 1964 H, LUDwlG 3,151,405

LADIES' SLIPPER HAVING PLASTIC BEAD CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 11, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet l AL, 1 2" l EMA* M Oct. 6, 1964 H. LUDWIG 3,151,405

LADIES SLIPPER HAVING A PLASTIC BEAD CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. ll, 1961 l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mc' 11 F245 12' 13 v NN 22 13a 14 17 22' zo 2 Hg 126, l121 /'g 7 26h V261 26a 25a' l 26a 255. N \l 25 i /25 l25e 9b 7.46 720b 119/ a /119' /19 l 720 Oct. 6, 1964 H. LUDWIG 3,151,405

LADIES' SLIPPER HAVING A PLASTIC BEAD CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. ll, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a 15 21' 16' y "23.5 L', l

.7m/enten 0f 6, 1964 H. LUDWIG 3,151,405

LADIES' SLIPPER HAVING A PLASTIC BEAD CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 11, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jnvenzor: efAu-f haw?,

United States Patent O 3,151,405 LADHES SLEPPER HAVENG A PLASTIC BEAD CUNSTRUCHON ierhert Ludwig, Desmastrasse 112, Uesen, near Bremen, Germany Filed Bec. 11, 196i, Ser. No. 153,478 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 15, 1%0, l) 21,6%; Dec. 23, 1960, D 35,017; .lune 7, 1961, D 36,276; Sept. 23, 196i, D 37,109 6 Claims. (Cl, 356-17) The present invention relates to articles of footwear in general, and more particularly to an article of footwear which is provided with a composite sole and which is especially suited for use as a slipper.

An important object of the invention is to provide an article of footwear of the just outlined characteristics wherein the composite sole may be permanently secured to the upper in a simple and inexpensive manner.

Amother object of the invention is to provide an article of footwear of the above described type wherein the less resistant component or components of the composite sole are fully concealed, which is of eye-pleasing appearance, which may be mass-manufactured in very simple and inexpensive apparatus, and which may be constructed and assembled in such a way that it may be used indoors as well as out doors.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of footwear, particularly a houseshoe, whose cornposite sole is provided with a very large ground-contacting surface to prevent slippage, wherein the weight may be distributed to central as well as to marginal portions of the ground-contacting surface, and which may be constructed of readily available naturally occurring and/or synthetic plastic materials.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a houseshoe or a like article of footwear wherein the outsole is connected with the upper in a novel manner to insure long wear and to prevent separation of the outsole from other components of the composite sole.

A concomitant object of the instant invention is to provide an article of footwear whose composite sole protects and conceals the customary stitching between the insole and the lasting margin of the upper.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel mold for the mass-production of houseshoes and similar articles of footwear of the above outlined characteristics.

Still another object of my inventionV is to provide an article of footwear of the above described character wherein a single body of plastic material permanently secures the components of the composite sole to each other and to the upper, and wherein the single body of plastic material enhances the appearance and sales appealof the article.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of footwear of the just outlined characteristics wherein the plastic body may be bonded to the composite soleand to the upper without the formation of flashes so that the article is ready for storage, transportation and/or actual use as soon as it is removed from the mold.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a houseshoe or a like article of footwear which is of lightweight construction, whose sole consists ofreadily pliable material which will not scratch the flooring, and whose components may be assembled within exceptionally short periods of time. n

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provision of an article of footwear` comprising an upper whose inwardly bent lastingrmargin is preferably ,stitched to a soft and pliable insole of chrome leather or the like, a midsole-of cork, felt or a like material 3,l5l,45 Patented Get. 6, 1964 ice which is adjacent to and which is located beneath the upper so as to abut against the insole and tooverlap the stitching which connects the lasting margin with the insole, an outsole which is adjacent to the underside of the midsole and which comprises a lip extending beyond the midsole,

and a bead of plasticmaterial which surrounds the midsole and which adheres to the upper (i.e., at least to the nonoverlapped portion of the lasting margin) and to the lip. The outsole preferably consists of chrome leather or plastic-coated fabric, and the bead may consist of polyvinyl chloride or another thermosetting or thermoplastic synthetic material.

The novel features whichV are considered Vas character- FIG. 3 is a transverse section through a modified mold;-

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse section through a modified article of footwear and through a mold therefor;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section through an article of footwear which is slightly different from the one shown-in-FIG.`-4, further showing a mold in which the article is formed;

FIG. 6 isa fragmentary transverse section through a modified mold for the manufacture of an article of footwear similar-toy the'one shown ir`1 FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary transverse section through a similar mold;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section through a mold which is similar to the moldsof FIGS; 6 and l7 and which may be utilized for the manufacture of yarticles of footwear similar to that shown in FIG. 5;

FG. 9 is a greatly enlarged transversefsection throughv a composite sole which comprises a plastic-coated fabric outsole and which may be utilized in the manufacture of articles of footwear embodying my invention;

FIG. l0 is a fragmentary transverse section through a dierent mold and through an article of footwear which' is being formed therein;

FIG. ll is a transverse section through a similar mold and through an article of footwear which is being formed therein;

FIG. l2 is a transverse section through a further mold and through an article of footwear which is formed therein; and

FIG. 13 is a'transverse section through a mold and through an article of footwear which are similar to those shown in FIG. l2.

Referring now in Vgreater detail to the illustrated embodiments, and rst to FIG. l, `there is shown an article of footwear which is Vassumed to be ahouseshoe, e.g. a ladies slipper, and which comprises an upper l@ yprovided with an inwardly bent lasting margin 10a secured to an insole 1l by one or vmore rows of 4stitching 12.' The composite sole of this slipper comprises a midsole 13 and an outsole 14, the latter having a Vmarginal portion or lip 141 which extends laterally beyond the midsole i3. The midsole preferably consists of felt or cork and overlaps the stitching 12 as well as aV portion of the lasting margin 16a. The ylip '141 is coplanar with the main bodyportion of the outsole i4. 'T he means for connecting the composite sole i3, 14 with the upper lil consists of a marginal strip or bead 15 of polyvinyl chloride (hereinafter called P-V-C) or a similar synthetic plastic material. This bead adheres to the underside of the nonoverlapped portion of the lasting margin a, to the'end face 13a of the midsole 13, to the upper side 14h of the lip 141, and to the end face 14a of this lip. The exposed outer side of the bead 15 is preferably of convex shape. An important advantage of the article of footwear as shown in FIG. 1 is that the bead 15 completely conceals the midsole 13 and also that its total area of Contact with the outsole 14 is much greater than in shoe constructions of conventional design. This is due to the fact that the outsole extends beyond the midsole, i.e. that the outsole is formed with the lip 141, so that the bead 1S may adhere to the end face 14a as well as to the upper side 14b of the lip 141. As far as I am aware, known articles of footwear which are provided with beads of synthetic plastic material invariably comprise outsoles whose end faces are flush with the end faces of the midsoles so that the bead cannot adhere to any other surface portion but to the end face of the outsole. Such connections are weak so that the bead is likely to become separated from the outsole after comparatively short periods of actual use, particularly since the outsole is usually thin which means that its end face is necessarily narrow. By utilizing an outsole whose lip 141 extends beyond the outlines of the midsole, the -article of footwear as shown in FIG. l is more durable because the bead 15 is not likely to become separated from the outsole owing to the fact that the connection between the bead and the outsole includes full face-to-face contact between the bead 15 on the one hand and the end face 14a as well as the upper side 14b of the lip 141 on the other hand.

Another important advantage of the article of footwear as shown in FIG. 1 is that the stitching 12 is completely overlapped by the upper side of the midsole 13. Thus, the stitchholes formed in the material of the lasting nargin 10a and of the insole 11 are sealed from the bead 15. This insures that the originally viscous or liquefied material of the bead will not penetrate through such holes into the interior of the article of footwear when the bead is formed 'about the composite sole 13, 14. In other words, the midsole 13 prevents the material of the bead from penetrating to the stitching 12 when the article of footwear is assembled.

The midsole 13 preferably consists of felt, cork or another suitable ller material. The outsole 14 may be made of chrome leather. An article of footwear embodying a composite sole made of such materials is of lightweight construction and the composite sole is very soft aud pliable, both characteristics highly desirable in slippers and similar articles of footwear which are intended for indoor, rather than outdoor, use. In addition, the users foot does not rest on rubber or synthetic plastic material but solely on chrome leather and felt or cork since the insole 12 may also consist of chrome leather. The composite sole is ventilated in contrast to soles which include layers of rubber or fluid-tight synthetic plastic material.

FIG. 2 illustrates one form of a mold which may be utilizedin the production of slippers of the type shown in FIG. 1. The mold comprises two edge plates 16, 16'- and a bottom plate 17 which is located between and which is reciprocable with respect to the edge plates. The upper side of the bottom plate 17 and the walls of concave grooves 21, 21 respectively provided inthe inner sides of the edge plates 16, 16 at a level above the bottom plate together dene an openatop mold cavity MC. The open top of the mold cavity may be sealed by a heatable metallic last 13 which supports fthe upper 11i and the in- Vsole 11.

The bottom zones of the grooves 21, 21' are bounded by coplanar Wall portions which dene shoulders for the underside of the lip 141 when the 'outsole 14 is inserted through the open top of the mold cavity. In the next step, the midsole 13 is placed onto the upper side of the outsole 14, whereupon the mold cavity may be sealed by lowering the last 1S onto the edge plates so that the upper 1G comes into sealing engagement with the edges above the upper ends of the grooves 21, 21. The cavity MC is now sealed and may receive a paste-like or liquefied plastic material which, after setting, forms the bead 15. This plastic material may be injected at a pressure of say 6 atmospheres and completely fills the space adjacent to the walls of the grooves 21, 21. The thickness of the midsole 13 is selected in such a way and the last 18 is applied with such pressure that it forces the lasting margin 16a against the upper side of the midsole whereby the plastic material cannot penetrate to the stitches 12. Also, since the lip 141 extends into the grooves 21, 21', the plastic material cannot penetrate into the gaps 22, 22' respectively formed between the lateral faces of the bottom member 17 and the inner sides of the edge plates 16, 16.

The stitching 12 may assume the form of so-called California stitches which extend between and connect the downwardly bent innermost edge portion of the lasting margin 16a with the similarly bent edge portion of the insole 11. The last 18 and the edge plates 16, 16 are heatable by means of coils or the like, not shown, whereas the bottom plate 17 remains unheated and should preferably be maintained at a 10W temperature, eg., by circulating coolant or in any other suitable manner.

In assembling the article of footwear, the outsole 14 is placed onto the upper side of the bottom plate 17 in such a way that its lip 141 extends into the grooves 21, 21'. ln the next step, the mold cavity MC receives the midsole 13 and a suitable wedge (not shown) which serves as a at heel. Once the mold cavity is sealed by the last 13 and by the upper 10, the plastic material is introduced in any conventional manner. This plastic material may assume the form of P-V-C paste which sets in about three minutes. Of course, the solidifying time will vary if the bead'consists of anothersuitable plastic material which is capable of adhering with requisite force to the composite sole 13, 14 and to the upper 10. If the article of footwear is a ladies' slipper, the total weight of the bead 15 may be about 30 g. Such slippers are inexpensive and the machinery necessary for their production is very simple. Y

FIG. 3 illustrates a modified mold wherein the edge plates 19, 2t) have bottom portions 19a, 26a which replace the bottom plate 17 of FIG. 2. rl`he advantage of this mold is that the gap 22a between the bottom portions 19a, 26a is more distant from the grooves 21, 21 of the respective edge plates so that the likelihood that the plastic material would escape from the mold cavity is even more remote. The bottom portions 19a, 20a together form a supporting surface for the outsole 14 whose lip 141 extends into the grooves 21, 21 to be bonded to the bead 15 when the upper end of the mold cavity is sealed by the last 18 and the plastic material is forced into the grooves to till the space about the end face 13a of the midsole 13.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified article of footwear, such as a slipper, which is constructed for indoor as well as for outdoor use. The connection between the plastic bead 15 and the outsole 14 is stronger than in the slipper of FIG. l because the lip 141 is not coplanar with but is bent-upwardly from the main-body portion of the outsole so that its underside 14C is at least partially embedded in and coated by the material of the bead 15. This slipper may be assembled in a mold which is identical with the mold shown in FIG. 2.

`In the first step, the lip 141 is bent upwardly before the outsole 14 is introduced into the mold cavity MC to rest on the bottom plate 17: The midsole 13' consisting of cork, felt or the like is introduced in the next step so that it rests on the flat upper side of the median portion of the outsole 14 and that a space isformedv between its end face 13a and the upper side 14b of the lip 141. Once the upper is mounted on the last 18 and its lasting margin 10a is secured to the insole 11 by stitches 12', the last is placed onto the edge plates 16, 16 in such a way that the upper 10 sealingly engages the edges 2lb, 2lb at the upper ends of the respective grooves 21, 21. The plastic material, eg. P-V-C paste, is injected into the grooves 21, 21 to form the bead 15 and to adhere to the exposed portion of the lasting margin 10a, to the end face 13a of the midsole 13', as well as to the end face 14a, to the upper side 14b and to the underside 14e of the lip 141.

The outsole is assumed to consist of plastic-coated fabric (see FIG. 9) with the uncoated side of the fabric turned upwardly so that the plastic coat comes into actual contact with the ground when the slipper of FIG. 4 is put to actual use. This plastic coat may consist of P-V-C or any other suitable synthetic plastic material.

It will be noted that the upwardly bent lip 141 is completely embedded in the material of the bead 15 so that the connection between this bead and the composite sole-13', 14 is even stronger than in the slipper of FIG.Y

1. The bead provides a strong connection between the components 13', 14 of the composite sole in addition to connecting the composite sole with the lasting margin 10a. The lower edge of the bead 15 is ush with the underside of the main body portion of the outsole 14' so that the upwardly bent lip 141 is completely concealed in plastic material. It will be `noted that, in contrast to the construction of FIG. l, the bead 15 of FIG. 4 extends outwardly beyond the lasting margin and adheres to the lowermost part of the upper 19. By utilizing an upwardly bent lip 141, the total area of contact between the outsole 14 and the bead 15' of FIG. 4 is nearly twice that of the area of contact between the flat lip 14 and the bead 15 of FIG. l so that the resistance to separation is doubled and the slipper of FIG. 4 can stand more wear than the slipper of FIG. l. In addition, since its outsole consists of plastic-coated fabric, the slipper of FG. 4 may be used outdoors without any danger that moisture could penetrate to the midsole 13"and through the insole 11 into actual contact with the wearers foot.

The advantage of plastic-coated fabric outsoles is that their threads are firmly embedded in the plastic material so that ripping or tearing of such threads is Very unlikely, that the outsole may b'e readily cut to desired shape, that the outsole is cheaper than an outsole of chrome leather, and that a plastic-coated outsole can be shaped more readily than outsoles consisting of chrome leather.

While an outsoleconsisting of sole leather possesses many important advantages, such as permeability to air, it is more difficult to handle and cannot be shaped with such ease as a plastic-coated fabric because chrome leather is not a synthetic product and, therefore, outsoles cut from difrerent skins will exhibit different properties regarding stretchability, thickness, ilexibility, color and/ or permeability. in addition, chrome leather shrinks at elevated temperatures so that it must be shrunk or otherwise treated to prevent shrinkage prior to introduction into a heated mold. This entails additionalY work and expenses which must be added to the overall cost of the ultimate product. Furthermore, chrome leather is hygroscopic and, therefore, it is necessary to store such leather or the outsoies made therefrom in special storerooms whereinV thetemperature and moisture of air must be controlled with utmost accuracy. Finally, since chrome leather does not prevent moisture from penetrating to the midsole 13, an article oi footwear having an outsole made of chrome leather cannot be used outdoors, even for short periods of time, excepting in perfect weather and on smooth ground. An outsole made of watertightY plastic-coated fabric can be used outdoors as wellr as indoors, and its resistance towear is usually much higher than that of an outsole made of chrome leather. Therefore, and particularlyV in mass-manufacture of cheap slippers and like articles of footwear, the plasticcoated sole of FIG. 4 may find preference over outsoles made of chrome leather or other non-synthetic materials.

FIG. 5 illustrates an article of footwear which is similar to that of FIG.= 4, excepting that the bead 15 coats only the upper part of the underside 14C of the upwardly bent lip 141. The mold utilized in manufacturing an article of footwear of the type shown in FIG. 5 may beV the same as the mold of FIGS. 2 and 4 with the exception that the bottom plate 17 is maintained at a level below the grooves 21, 21 so that the lower edges 21a, 21a of the concave walls bounding these grooves sealingly engage the underside 14C of the lip 141 along a line extending intermediate the end face 14a and the underside of the outsole 14. If the thickness of the midsole 13 is the same` as the thickness ofthe midsole shown in FIG. 4, the last 18 is caused to descend deeper into the mold cavity so that the upper 10 may properly seal this cavity before introduction of plastic material which forms the bead 15". This bead extends along the entire upper side 1411 and along the entire end face 14a but only along the upper portion of the underside 14C of the upwardly bent lip 141 so that the lower part 14c1 ofthe lip remains visible to enhance the appearance and the sales appeal of the finished article. The strength of the bond between the lip and the bead is reduced only slightlyy since the connection with the upper side 141) and the end face 14a by itself insures that the bead will adhere with great force to the outsole. rthe eye-pleasing effect of the construction shownV in FIG. 5 is even more pronouncedif the colorV of the plastic coat at the underside of the outsole 14 differs from the color of the bead 15". Thus, the visible portion 14c1 of the lip 141 will form a small' strip beneath the plastic bead, and this strip requires no` additional treatment since the outsole is finished before being introduced into the mold cavity.

rEhe midsole 13" of FIG. 5 diers from midsoles utilized 'in the slippers of FIGS. l and 4 insofaras its upper side consists of a flat median portion' and of a beveled marginal or edge portion 13a' which extends outwardly and downwardly from the lasting margin 10a to the end face 13a. Thus, the area of Contact between the bead 15" and the midsole 13 is increased which` results in a stronger bond and longer useful life of a s0- constructed slipper.V In addition, the beveled marginal portion '13o' exposes a greater part ofthe lasting margin 1th! -so that the area of contactbetween the bead 15 and the upper 10 is increased accordingly.

An important advantage of the mold shown in FIG.15 is that the lip 141 need not be formed before theV outsole is inserted into the mold cavity because the lower edges 21a, 21o ofthe walls bounding the grooves Z1, 21 will` automatically deforrnthe outsole upon insertion of the midsole 13 and last 18. In other words, merely by lowering the bottom plate 17 below the level of the grooves 21, 21', the mold may automatically transform a liat outsole into one with an upwardly bent lip 141 such as'is necessary in the production of slippers with beads which only partially conceal the lips of the outsoles. Furthermore, the edges 21a, 21a sealingly engage the underside 14e of the lip 141 to prevent penetration of plastic material into the gaps 22, 22 when the bead 15" is formed about the midsole 13". The distance between the upper'side of the bottom plate17 and the edges 21a, 21a may be in the range of a few millimeters.

FiG. 6 illustrates another type of mold whichmay be utilized in the manufacture of articles of footwear of thetype shownin PIG. 5. The mold comprises twoV edge plates 26 (only one shown) and a bottom plate Z5 which supports theedge plates so as to deiine therewith a mold cavity'forthe outsole andfor the midsole. The groove 21 formed in the inner sideof the edge plate 25 terminates at a point'slightly above the upper sideZSa of vthe bottom plate 2S so that the lower edge Y2da of the wall bounding the groove `2,1 Will'd'eform the lip of the outsole when the latter is placed onto the bottom plate. The edge 26h sealingly engages with the upper of an article of footwear in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 shows a similar mold wherein the upper side of the bottom plate 2S is formed with a shallow depression 2511 which receives the main body portion of an outsole. The lower edge 12Go of the wall bounding the groove 121 in the edge plate 126 extends all the way to the upper side of the bottom plate 2S so that the vertical side wall 25e of the bottom plate will bend the lip of the outsole into the interior of the groove 121. The upper edge 126b of the wall bounding the groove 121 engages with the upper of an article of footwear which is being assembled in this mold.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown a further mold which may be utilized for the production of articles of footwear in which the lower portion of an upwardly bent lip is visible after the formation of a bead. The mold comprises two edge plates 119, 120 having bottom portions 119, 120' which replace the bottom plate 25 of FIG. 6. The plates 119, 121i are respectively formed with depressions 119C, 120e and with grooves 121A, 121A' which are of rectangular cross-sectional contour and whose walls comprise lower edges 119a,` 120:1 adapted to bend the lip of an outsole so that the lip assumes the position as shown in FIG. 5. The upper edges 119i), 12% of the wall bounding the grooves 121A, 121A' sealingly engage with the upper of an article of footwear to seal the mold cavity prior to and during introduction of plastic material which forms the bead about the midsole.

FIG. 9 illustrates on an enlarged scale a composite sole including a midsole 13 of cork, felt or a similar material and a composite outsole 14" including an upper layer 24 of fabric and a plastic coat 23 which is applied to the underside of the layer 24. Of course, the material of the plastic coat 23 should be such that it forms a very satisfactory permanent bond with the material of the bead 15' or 15". The article of footwear which is manufactured in the molds of FIGS. 4 to 8 and which utilizes an outsole including layers 23, 24 of the type shown in FIG. 9 preferably assumes the form of a slipper for indoor and/ or outdoor use around the home.

FIG. l illustrates a further modification of my invention according to which the lip 141 of the outsole 14 is bent upwardly and into abutment with the end face 13a of the midsole 13. This can be done by preforming the lip 141 before insertion of the outsole into the mold cavity, or by coating the upper side 14!) of the lip with a suitable adhesive so that the lip will actually adhere to the end face 13a. The mold 16, 16', 17 is the same as that of FIG. 2 with the exception that the bottom plate 17 is maintained at a level below the lower edges of the walls bounding the grooves 21, 21' and that the upturned lip does not come into actual abutment with the inner sides 16h, lob of the two edge plates. Consequently, small spaces 16a, 16a are formed between the inner sides 1617, 16h and the underside 14C of the lip 141, and these spaces are filled with the material of the plastic bead to make sure that the bead extends all the way to the upper side of the bottom plate 17 when the article of footwear is assembled in the mold cavity. Otherwise, the construction of the mold and of the article of footwear is the same as described in connection with FIG. 2, with the exception that the stitching 12 connects a wedge shaped edge portion of the lasting margin 19a with a similarly shaped edge portion of the insole 11. The upper 1li is mounted on the last 18 which seals the mold cavity during injection of plastic material into the grooves 21, 21', and this material adheres to a portion of the end face 13a of the midsole 13, to the end face 14a of the lip 141, and to the outer side 14C of the lip. The inner side 14b of the lip 14 is eitherrglued to or merely abuts against the lower part of the end face 13a.

An important advantage of the article of footwear shown 'in FIG. l0 is that the bond between the composite sole 13, 14 and the bead 1S is more uniform because it is easier to insure that the lip 141 abuts against the end face 13a of the midsole than 'to position the lip in a manner as shown in FG. 4, 5 or 9. Thus, the number of rejects is reduced to a. minimum because the bond between the beads and composite soles of consecutively manufactured articles of footwear is of uniform strength. It could happen that a lip which is bent upwardly in a manner as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 9 would change its position during injection of plastic material which forms the bead 15 so that the lip would be deformed by the plastic material to detract from the appearance and sales appeal of the article of footwear and to produce a weaker bond between the bead and the composite sole.

The outsole 14 may consist of chrome leather or of plastic-coated fabric, and the midsole 13 preferably consists of felt, cork or another suitable filler material. The flashings which might be formed in the gaps 22, 22' between the lateral faces of the bottom plate 17 and the inner sides 16h, 1Gb of the edge plates may be removed in any suitable manner after the completely assembled article of footwear is removed from the mold.

If the material of the bead 1S is a thermosetting synthetic plastic substance and if the bottom plate is not heated, no penetration of plastic material into the gaps 22, 22' will take place because the exposed surface of the material will harden immediately upon contact with the heated edge plates 16, 16. In such instances, the article of footwear is ready for storage, shipment or use as soon as it is removed from the mold.

FIG. 1l illustrates a different article of footwear which is formed in a mold of the type shown in FIG. l0 but with the bottom plate 17 located at a level below the lower edges of Walls bounding the grooves 21, 21 of the edge plates 16, 16'. The width of the outsole 14 is selected in such a way that the underside 14C of its preformed and upwardly bent lip 141 sealingly engages the inner sides 16h, 1612' of the edge plates and completely fills the spaces 16a, 16a'. Thus, the upper side 14h of the lip 141 again adheres to or abuts against the end face 13a of the midsole 13 to partially surround the midsole and to expose a portion of its underside 14C which extends into the grooves 21, 21. The material introduced into the grooves 21, 21' to form the bead 15 is prevented from penetrating into the spaces 16a, 16a' whereby the bead cannot completely conceal the underside 14C so that the ultimate product exposes a portion of the lip 141 beneath the bead 15. The intermediate zone 14d between the lip 141 and the main body portion of the outsole 14 seals the gaps 22, 22 from the grooves 21, 21 to prevent the formation of dashes or tins when the article of footwear is assembled in the mold 16, 16, 17 and while the last 18 maintains the upper 10 in sealing engagement with the edge plates.

Of course, the lip 141 may be bent into abutment with the end face 13a of the midsole 13 in a fully automatic way by placing the outsole 14 into the mold cavity, by placing the midsole onto the outsole, and by forcing the outsole into abutment with the upper side of the bottom plate 17. In such instances, the bottom plate is preferably moved below the position of FIG. 1l and the width of the lip 141 may be slightly increased so that the lip may cover a substantial part of the end face 13a and that a substantial part of its underside is embedded in the material of the bead 15 to insure that the bond between the composite sole 13, 14 and the lasting margin 10a of the upper 11i will resist stresses which normally arise when the article of footwear is put to use.

Since the bead 15 terminates at a level above the ground-contacting main body portion of the outsole 14, it is not likely to become damaged, and the eye-pleasing appearance of the article offootwear is enhanced, particularly if the material of the lip 141 is colored differently from the material of the bead.

Referring to FIG'.` 12, there isshown an article of footwear which differs from the articles shown in'FIGS. 1-5 and lO-ll insofar as the'bead 115 extendsbelowthe unbent lip 141 and comes into actual contact' with the ground. The mold of FIG. 12 is the same as that of FIG. 2 with the exception that the bottom plate 17 is lifted so as to move'its upper side'17a-abovethelevel of the lower portions 16C, 16e ofthe-walls bounding the grooves 21, 21 of the edge platesl; .16. The lip 141 is coplanar with the main body portion of the outsole 14 and extends into the grooves 21; 21. The plastic material which, after hardening, formsthe 'bead`115fill's` these grooves and completely surrounds `the upper side 14b, the end face 14a and the underside 14e of the lip inladdition to adhering to the end face 13a of the midsole 13 and to a portion of the lasting margin a which latter is secured to the insole 11 by stitches 12 in a manner as described in connection with FIG. l. The edge por-tion 115:1 of the bead 115 which extends along the lower wall portions 16C, 16C in the grooves 21, 21 forms a strip which is disposed beneath the underside 14e of the lip 141 and which comes into actual contact with the ground. The width of this edge portion 115a may but need not equal the width of the lip 141.

In assembling the article of footwear shown in FIG. 12, the bottom member 17 is adjusted in the rst step so that it is lifted above the lower portions 16e, 16C of the walls bounding the grooves 21, 21'. The outsole 14, with its lip 141 undeformed, is placed onto the upper side 17a of the bottom plate. In the next step, the midsole 13 is placed onto the median portion of the outsole 14 and the last 18 with the upper 10 mounted thereon is moved into abutment with the edge plates 16, 16' to seal the mold cavity and to press the inner part of the lasting margin 10a and the insole 11 against the upper side of the midsole 13. The cross-sectional area of the midsole 13 is preferably somewhat smaller than the area of the upper side 17a. The mold cavity is now sealed and the plastic substance may be introduced into the grooves 21, 21 to form the bead 115. Depending on the nature of plastic material, it may be necessary to heat the entire mold 16, 16', 17 and the last 18 or to heat only the edge plates 16, 16' and the last 1S. The material admitted to the grooves 21, 21 may be a thermoplastic or thermosetting substance, for example, P-V-C in paste-like or granular form. In the latter instance, the injecting apparatus may assume the form of a screw press.

An important advantage of the construction shown in FIG. l2 is that lthe ground-contacting surface of the article of footwear is increased by extending the edge portion 115a of the bead 115 into contact with the ground, that the article is less likely to slip in actual use, that the lip 141 need not be deformed prior to or during introduction into the mold cavity, and that the ground-contacting edge portion 115a of the bead protects the outsole from rapid wear by taking up some weight when the article of footwear is in actual use. Of course, the resistance to slippage is increased if the ground contacting edge portion 115g of the bead 115 is formed with corrugations, ribs or otherwise shaped projections. An article of footwear constructed in a manner as shown in FIG. 12 is particularly useful for preventing slippage when the outsole 14 consists of chrome leather and when the user pivots his foot while fthe outsole is in contact with the ground because the friction between the ground and the plastic material of the bead 115 is invariably greater than the friction between chrome leather and the ground. The walk of a person wearing articles of footwear wherein the weight rests partially on the inwardly extending lower edge portion 115a of the bead is more elastic 'and the articles of footwear are less tiring. Y

The outsole 14 may consist of chrome leather, of plastic-coated fabric or of pure plastic, and the midsole 13 may consist of cork, felt or another suitable filler material. For example, the midsole may form an integral l0 part of the bead andv may be formedv by injection molding simultaneously Vwiththe molding of the bead.

Referring finally to FIG. 13, there is shown an'article of footwear, e.g., a bedroom slipper or another formof houseshoe, Whose outsole comprises a lip 141 which is bent only'slightly in upward direction and which is again` completely embedded inthe material of the bead 115. The bottom plate 17 of the-mold is moved slightly yabove the lower portions 16C, 16e of the walls bounding thegrooves 21,'` 21 so that its edge llblimits the ow of plastic material along the underside of the main 'body portion of the outsole. In this embodiment, thegroundcontacting edge portion 115a of the bead 115 is llushwithf the underside of the ground-contacting portion of the outsole, yand the bead completely surrounds the end face 14a, the upper side 14h and the underside 14C of the lip 141.

If desired, the upper side 17a of the bottom plate 17 may be of slightly concave form along the edge 1711 so as to automatically deflect the lip 141 from the general plane of the main body portion of the outsole 14. The shallow recess formed by the ridge or edge 17b of the bottom plate 17 between the underside of the outsole and the edge portion 1151/1 of the bead 115 enables the components 14, 115 to act as a friction cup and to prevent slippage along the ground.

The edge portion 115a enlarges the overall area of contact between the slipper and the ground, and its underside may be provided with grooves, ridges or the like to increase friction.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In an article of footwear, in combination, an upper; a composite sole including a midsole located adjacent to and beneath said upper, said midsole consisting of felt material, and an outsole of leather adjacent to and 1ocated beneath said midsole, said outsole having a marginal lip extending beyond the midsole; and a plastic bead independent of and surrounding said midsole, said bead adhering to said upper andrto said lip, so as to form a closed compartment housing said midsole.

2. In an article of footwear, in combination, an upper; a composite sole including a midsole having an end face, said midsole located adjacent to and beneath said upper, and an outsole adjacent to and located beneath said midsole, said outsole having a marginal lip extending beyond the end face of said midsole, said lip having an upper side adjacent to but spaced from the end face of said midsole, an end face, and an underside; and a plastic bead independent of and surrounding said midsole, saidY bead adhering to that portion of the upper which is adjacent to the end face of said midsole, to the end face of said midsole, and to the end face, upper side and at least a portion of the underside of said lip, so as to form a closed compartment housing said midsole.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein said Y outsole comprises a main body portion surrounded by said lip and having a ground-contacting underside, and said bead comprises a lower edge portion adjacent to the underside of said lip and having an underside substantially coplanar with the underside of said main body portion. Q

4. In anl article of footwear, in combination, an upper; a composite sole including a midsole having an Vend face and an outsole of constant thickness located adjacent to and beneath said midsole, said outsole comprising an upwardly bent marginal lipextending beyond and having an upper side abutting against at least a portion of the end face of said midsole, said lip having an end face and an underside; and a plastic bead surrounding said midsole, said bead of a material different from the material of said midsole, independent of and adhering to that portion of said upper which is adjacent to the end face of said midsole and to the end face and at least a portion of the underside of said lip, so as to form a closed compartment housing said midsole.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein the underside of said lip has an upper portion and a lower portion and the bead adheres to the upper portion of said underside.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein said bead adheres to the entire underside of said lip.

Y References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR, IN COMBINATION, AN UPPER; A COMPOSITE SOLE INCLUDING A MIDSOLE LOCATED ADJACENT TO AND BENEATH SAID UPPER, SAID MIDSOLE CONSISTING OF FELT MATERIAL, AND AN OUTSOLE OF LEATHER ADJACENT TO AND LOCATED BENEATH SAID MIDSOLE, SAID OUTSOLE HAVING A MARGINAL LIP EXTENDING BEYOND THE MIDSOLE; AND A PLASTIC BEAD INDEPENDENT OF AND SURROUNDING SAID MIDSOLE, SAID BEAD ADHERING TO SAID UPPER AND TO SAID LIP, SO AS TO FORM A CLOSED COMPARTMENT HOUSING SAID MIDSOLE. 